Auxiliary barrel for breech-loading guns.



PATENTED APR. 19, 1904.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET -1.

.KO MODEL.

PATENTBD APR. 19, 1904.

V. G. TASKER.

AUXILIARY BARREL FOR BREBGH LOADING GUNS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 21, 1902.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

H0 MODEL.

awownl'oz I attozwma UNITED STATES Patented April 19, 1904.

ATENT Fries.

VERNON C. TASKER, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN ORDNANCE COMPANY, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, A

CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

AUXILIARY BARREL FOR BREECH-LOADING GUNS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 757,790, dated April 19, 1904.

Application filed June 21, 1902.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, VERNON C. TAsKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Auxiliary Barrels for Breech-Loading Guns; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to auxiliary barrels for breech-loading guns or, as they are usually termec subcaliber devices; and it consists in the construction hereinafter pointed out and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of the device applied in place within the powder-chamber of a breech-loading gun to which the invention is to be adapted, only so much of the gun being shown as is necessary to understand the present invention. Figs. 2, 3, and 4:, Sheet 2, represent, respectively,-a-rear elevation and a vertical section of the rear adapter and views of the tongue or plate fitted in the periphery of the adapter. Figs. 5 and 6 represent face and sectional views of the front adapter. Figs. 7 and 8 represent face and sectional views of the middle support. Fig. 9, Sheet 1, represents an enlarged View looking down upon the periphery of the rear adapter where it is separated, showing the tongue or plate in place and the wedge and screw. Fig. 10 represents the screw for actuating the wedge; Fig. 11, two views of the wedge a top and end view. Fig. 12 represents an end and sectional view of the breech of the subcaliber gun.

In the drawings the letter A indicates the auxiliary barrel or subcaliber gun, which may be built up in the usual way, consisting of the tube a, the jacket a, and the breech hoop (1/ This barrel A is provided on its exterior surface with three sets of screw-threads a (6*, and (5, all being of the same pitch and direction.

Secured upon the threads a is the front adapter B, upon the threads (0* the middle sup- Serial No. 112,678. (No model.)

port C, and upon the threads (0 the rear adapter D, the two adapters and middle support being threaded interiorly to engage the threads upon the surface of the barrel A and also bored to fit the smooth surfaces adjacent to-such threads, the more accurately to center the subcaliber barrel. The front adapter B consists of a peripheral ring 6 and a central hub 72, connected by radial arms If. The ring I) has its outer face or surface 7) tapering, so as to be fitted to the inner tapered surface of the large gun beyond the powderchamber. The hub b is interiorly threaded at b and has at one end the smooth bore 7).

Secured upon the threads to is the middle support C, which consists of the four radial arms 0, extending from the central hub c. The bore of this central hub c has a threaded portion 0 and a smooth portion a. The extreme ends 0 of the radial arms 0 are curved -,to fit the inner surface of the powder-chamber of the large gun. This middle support C "is not essential to the device, but is provided to additionally insure alinement already sufficiently insured for all practical purposes in most cases by the adapters B and D. The front adapter B may preferably be located upon the middle threads'a in cases where the front slope M of the powder-chamber M is ffarther to the rear than as is shown in Fig. 1. In such cases the support C, if used, is located upon the front threads (4 Secured upon the threads a is the rear gadapter D, which constitutes a means of sei; curing the auxiliary barrel in place and adapt- ;ing it to the inside of the large gun. This central hub d. Tnected by radial arms d which, however, connect the two only about half-way around the peripheral ring (Z. That portion of the peripheral ring d away from the radial arms d is cut transversely, as shown at 01 forming two branches cl? d, and in the face of the two branches is made a mortise d. In this mortise is placed the tenon or .plate 61 which is held in place by the rivets d passingthrough one of the branches and through the plate.

adapter consists of a peripheral ring 61 and a The boss and ring are con if V- i I In one branch cl is made a transverse threaded hole (Z in which engages the screw E, having the head a, the collar 6', and the neck 0 between the head and the collar. The abutting ends of the branches d and cl are provided with transverse grooves (Z and (Z the former being in the same branch, d, as the screw E is shallower than the other, (Z which is in the other branch, (Z Engaging the neck 0 of the screw E are the forks f of the head f of a wedge F, whose wedged endf extends between the meeting ends of the branches d and (Z and rests in the transverse grooves (Z (Z the slanting or wedged face f resting within the groove (Z of the branch The central hub d of the rear adapter D is interiorly threaded at (Z and has at one end the smooth bore 6Z At one side, preferably that which is away from the branched portion of the periphery (Z, the central hub (Z is provided with a depending lug cl", passing up through which is a slot 6 which penetrates up into the body of the boss,forming a springlip 6Z through the bottom of which is a passage d which may be smooth, alining with the threaded hole 6 21 in the-main part of the depending lug (Z A screw Gr passes through the passage (Z and engages the threaded hole (Z The two adapters and the middle support, constructed as described, are put in place upon the auxiliary-barrel or subcaliber gun, the smooth portions of the gun resting in the smooth portions of the adapters and support and the threaded portions engaging. As shown in the drawings, Fig. 1, when in place spaces are left between the threaded portions of the subcaliber gun and the shoulder on the inside of the adapters and support, so as to permit of adjustment.

For any given caliber of gun with which the device is to be used the front adapter and the middle support, which are not radially adjustable, are of a size to snugly fit those portions of the bore of the gun against which they are to bear, the surfaceof the front adapter being tapered to fit the bore of the gun beyond the powder-chamber and the middle support beingv adapted to fit the cylindrical interior surface of the gun in the powder-cham her. The rear adapter is also adapted to fit the-interior surface of the gun in the powderchamber; but, as is evident from its construc- .tion, there is sufiicient mobility of its parts that it may be readily adjusted so as to firmly bear against the interior of the gun, the surface of this rear adapter being cylindrical to fit the interior of the gun.

The auxiliary-barrel or subcaliber gun, with the two adapters and middle support attached to it, is inserted in place from the rear within the breech-loading gun with which it is to be used. The front adapter comes to a bearing just beyond the powder-chamber, the middle support within the powder-chamber toward the alinement by the tongue or plate d front, and the rear adapter near the rear end of the powder-chamber. In this position the screw E is turned, forcing the wedge F down into the transverse grooves cl (Z forcing the branches (i and d apart, they being held in These branches 6Z (Z are forced apart until the rear adapter 1) is caused to bind with sufficient force against the gun to hold the auxiliary barrel from accidentally moving to the rear. The auxiliary-barrel or subcaliber gun is then to be positioned longitudinally until it is in proper place and properly spaced from the face of the mushroom of the gas-check, when the large gun is closed. This is accomplished by rotating the subcaliber gun, its threads thereupon causing it to move longitudinally.

As soon as this position is obtained the auxiliary-barrel or subcaliber gun is bound in place from further rotation by tightening the screw Gr, which causes the flexible or spring lip [Z to bind the auxiliary barrel from further rotation. The auxiliary barrel may be rotated by any suitable means, as by a wrench having prongs to enter the sockets a in its rear face.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. Means for supporting a subcaliber gun in a piece of ordnance, consisting of an adapter or ring having two branches, a wedge and screw, the wedge held to one branch by the screw and bearing against the other branch.

2. Means for supporting a subcaliber gun in a piece of ordnance consisting of an adapter or ring having two branches provided with a mortise; a plate resting in said mortise, secured to one branch and loose in the other, a screw and a wedge, the wedge held to one branch by the screw and bearing against the other branch.

3. Means for supporting a subcaliber gun in a piece of ordnance, consisting of the adapter or ring, D, having the two branches, (Z (Z provided with the mortise, d, the plate, (Z located in said mortise secured to one branch and loose in the other; the wedge, F, fitting between the meeting ends of the branches;

and the screw, E, engaging one branch of the adapter and the wedge.

' 4. Means for supportingasubcaliber gun in a piece of ordnance, consisting of the adapter or ring, D, having the two branches, d (is, provided with the mortise, d; the tenon or plate, CV, in such mortise and secured to one branch; the wedge, F, fitting between the meeting ends of the branches; and the screw,

E, engaging one branch of the adapter and the wedge. 1

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VERNON C. TASKER. Witnesses:

GEO. T. PERCY, MARSHALL W. HOVEY, 

